What is DNS?

I’ve been reading a couple of articles here at Arvixe about DNS, but none of them explains what DNS actually is. I’ve worked with lots of things related to DNS, but if I had been asked like a week ago for a correct definition of DNS, I wouldn’t have had it. Today, I will provide you with the knowledge I have acquired, so you can understand what DNS actually is.

DNS, stands for Domain Name System. What it does, is to convert, whenever you type a domain name in your browser, to its IP address. In an easier to understand example:

Whenever you type: www.arvixe.com, DNS’s job, is to convert that domain name to the IP address assigned as the location of that domain name. Therefore, it’d be converted to 173.193.14.239, which is an IPv4 address.

What are the advantages of DNS?

The most important, for me, is that it is easier to remember a domain name rather than an IP address. Don’t you think? It’s way easier to remember arvixe.com, than 173.193.14.239.

The next great advantage is that if for some reason the server changes IP address or the site has been moved to some other place, the domain name would work, while the original IP would not.

And that’s pretty much the functionality and importance of DNS. I hope you now have a better idea now of what DNS is. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please write a comment below and I’d be more than glad to assist you.

Author Spotlight

Richi González

I started programming when I was 12. I'm a Developer and have been working with the Clip-Bucket script since it came out. I'm the Liaison between Arvixe and Clip-Bucket, so anything you need regarding Clip-Bucket or any particular computer-related subject you need, let me know so I can assist you.